The present invention relates to a device for providing a fluid tight mechanically adjustable coupling for tubular or duct members accommodating limited axial, angular, and radial misalignment.
Any transfer of a medium through tubing, and especially aircraft where weight saving is of prime importance, thin mold metallic tubing is interconnected and coupled with fluid tight couplings. Heretofore, the prior art of lightweight tube couplings, as those used in low to moderate pressure systems aircraft designs, have generally been limited to only two of three degrees of freedom (axial, angular, and radial). Others have been severely limited to the magnitude of the freedom where all three degrees of freedom are employed in the design, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,646,294 to Anderson. In addition, those that have dependence on simple elastomeric sealing, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,569,934 to Decenzo, have suffered from an abnormally high leakage rate. Others, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,586 to Caras, et al., have been extremely complex and employ mechanisms like ball bearings which increases the weight and makes the cost of mass manufacturing prohibitive. Features such as damping vibrations transmitted from the fluid lines to the coupling and means for opposing forces tending to axially separate the fluid lines from the coupling have not been disclosed.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a coupling suitable for connecting misaligned conduits.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lightweight coupling that accommodates axial, angular, and radial misalignment in the members to be connected.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple adjustable coupling, free of complex, expensively machined parts.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a positive means of preventing coupling separation from high internal pressures.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide for damping of vibrations transmitted from the members connected to the coupling.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.